Thermal management system

Abstract

The present invention provides a thermal management system comprising: a housing having an interior space; at least one heat-generating component disposed within the interior space; and a working fluid disposed within the interior space such that at least part of the heat-generating component is in direct contact with the working fluid; wherein the working fluid comprises base fluid and at least one phase change material selected from micro-encapsulated phase change materials, nano-encapsulated phase change materials, and mixtures thereof. The present invention also provides a method of thermal management of a heat-generating component comprising the steps of directly contacting at least part of the heat-generating component with a working fluid; and transferring the heat away from the heat-generating component using the working fluid wherein the working fluid comprises base fluid and at least one encapsulated phase change material selected from micro-encapsulated phase change materials, nano-encapsulated phase change materials, and mixtures thereof.

1 . A thermal management system comprising:
 a housing having an interior space;   at least one heat-generating component disposed within the interior space; and   a working fluid disposed within the interior space such that at least part of the heat-generating component is in direct contact with the working fluid;   wherein the working fluid comprises base fluid and at least one phase change material selected from micro-encapsulated phase change materials, nano-encapsulated phase change materials, and mixtures thereof.   
     
     
         2 . The thermal management system of  claim 1 , wherein the micro- and/or nano-encapsulated phase change material comprises an outer shell and an inner core of high latent heat material encased within said outer shell. 
     
     
         3 . The thermal management system of  claim 2  wherein the inner core comprises one or more materials selected from paraffinic waxes, n-alkanes, fatty acids, fatty alcohols, C4-C14 alkyl alcohols, fatty acid esters, polyglycols, chlorinated paraffin, inorganic salts, salt hydrates, sugar alcohols, carbohydrates and polyols, and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         4 . The thermal management system of  claim 2  wherein the outer shell comprises one or more materials selected from polymers, resins, inorganic oxides, multi-walled carbon nanotubes, nanocelluloses and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         5 . The thermal management system of  claim 1 , wherein the thermal management system comprises a heat exchanger. 
     
     
         6 . The thermal management system of  claim 5  which is constructed such that a cyclical flow of working fluid can be generated across the one or more heat-generating components, on to the heat exchanger and then back to the one or more heat-generating components. 
     
     
         7 . The thermal management system of  claim 1  wherein the base fluid is a hydrocarbon-based base fluid. 
     
     
         8 . The thermal management system of  claim 1  wherein the base fluid is a Fischer-Tropsch derived base fluid. 
     
     
         9 . The thermal management system of  claim 1 , wherein the thermal management system further comprises a pump, wherein the pump is configured to move the working fluid to and from the heat exchanger. 
     
     
         10 . The thermal management system of  claim 1 , wherein the heat-generating component comprises a server. 
     
     
         11 . The thermal management system of  claim 1 , wherein the heat-generating component is a battery. 
     
     
         12 . The thermal management system of  claim 1 , wherein the heat-generating component is one or more of a battery, an e-motor and an inverter within an electric vehicle. 
     
     
         13 . A method of thermal management of a heat-generating component comprising the steps of directly contacting at least part of the heat-generating component with a working fluid; and transferring the heat away from the heat-generating component using the working fluid wherein the working fluid comprises base fluid and at least one encapsulated phase change material selected from micro-encapsulated phase change materials, nano-encapsulated phase change materials, and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the heat is transferred away from the heat-generating component using the working fluid in a cyclical flow of working fluid across the heat generating components, on to a heat exchanger and then back to the heat-generating component. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein said method comprises the steps of pumping the working fluid to a heat exchanger; transferring heat from the working fluid; and returning said working fluid to the heat-generating component. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the base fluid is a hydrocarbon-based base fluid. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the base fluid is a Fischer-Tropsch derived base fluid.